Unfurling

8x8 acrylic on panel

And the moral of the day is.... Im not a psychic. I know, I know, total shocker...

Woke up this morning and it was a beautiful day, the birds were singing just for me and flew into my bedroom to drape Snow Whites cape of freaking flowers over my pajamas. Bright eyed, bushy tailed, being so productive.... and then this stupid afternoon struck, and by the time I got home, really just wanting to bury my head in my bin of acrylic paint tubes and deny the worlds existence, well, by then Id decided that I couldnt paint and everything Id ever painted was ugly and I just wanted to go to bed. Grrrr.

Obviously I didnt follow the going to bed plan, and things are looking a bit brighter at the moment. Pretty unfurling pink roses brighter. Other than that.... phooey on Tuesdays.

#484

White Rose

5x7 acrylic on panel

collection of Janine ODonnell

Had to keep reminding myself not to blend this one within an inch of its life... and it worked! Got some really great colors in here, surprised me.... Not sure how the rest of the week will go, folks, what with getting ready for the Whimsical Women Show- Ive always been a bit of a procrastinator, and thisll occupy a good portion of my time this week, Im sure :D But if youre anywhere in the area this week be sure to come by Saturday! More details tomorrow.... see, now you have to come back, hehehe....

#483

Gardenias II

12x12 acrylic on panel

Perhaps a little early.... from a photo from last year, actually. It just felt like summer this weekend, and the whole gardenias thing felt sooooo perfect. Cant wait till they really start blooming! It might be soon.... I saw one early daylily showing its face weeks ago, and there are loads of roses blooming already!

#482

Poised

8x8 acrylic on canvas

Im liking this bright flowers against a dark background thing, it feels like such strong imagery somehow.... tough getting the flowers to feel balanced, though, isnt it? But at the same time, something that is so much the focal point has to be a fairly complex image, doesnt it? Hm.... its past my bedtime, and Im honestly not sure if Im making any sense at the moment, so Im going to duck out for the time being. Sleepy-sleep.

#481

Goldenfall

8x8 acrylic on canvas

Pretties and summertime :)

#480

Flight

36x36 acrylic on canvas

Perhaps the last of the birdies for a little while.... really feeling roses lately, lets blame it on the weather :D Roses and sunlight!

#479

Pelicans

8x16 acrylic on canvas

Pretties and birdies and such. My Mama told me once she watched the pelicans reall closely the time we went to the beach right before she gave birth to my twin brothers- that that was the image she focused on during labor, the pelicans riding the waves, smooth ups and downs. I really like that thought.....

#478

White Feathers

9x12 mixed media on canvas

Beautiful colors, just enjoying them and some nice, restful, flowing forms. And of course the pretty birdie.

#477

Tequila Shot

6x6 acrylic on panel

Argh, I miss alcohol. Though not so much tequila shots.... more my beloved gin and tonic. Its just that tequila shots make for such nice, compact, prettily colored subjects. Ah, well, October isnt very far away, is it? And theres lots of stuff to occupy me along the way. Like frozen lemonade.

PS- Fun with this one! See how the background colors get all tricky and inverted? And how the light leaves that beautiful bluish halo? Awesome what turns up when you stare at it long enough!

#476

Cookout Sketches

Well, I wound up out of town for the weekend.... and if there is one thing that will totally and excusably prevent me from painting, thats it. Pig pickins are a true sign heralding the begining of summer, right? Though that is probably the only time anyone will accuse a pig pickin of heralding anything :D And this one had a Mardi Gras theme, of all things.... yes, I checked the calender, its still April. These things call for a bit of flexibility, I suppose. It was fun, yes :) So, some pages from my sketchbook from the out of town-ness.... and hopefully, business as usual tomorrow.

Signs of Summer

6x6 acrylic on panel

Tried to be looser on this one, more impressionistic or something- it seemed like it was the color that was important, those wonderful, rounded red strawberries.... that so much more than the details. Tonight, anyways :D

#472

Daffodil VII

6x6 mixed media on panel - nfs

Messing with the transparency of the petals against a very nicely layered green background.... and while they do seem to have come out wonderfully translucent, something is missing.... maybe definition in the trumpet? That part is always the most challenging for me. Love to all of you.

#471

Degas Study X

5x7 mixed media on board - nfs

Hm.... computer is being more than a little difficult tonight. No fun at all. So far as an excuse for doing yet another quickie Degas study.... well, I do love them, but the official excuse is, apparently, Baby Brain. Cant get a durn thing done satisfactorily (I also, apparently, dont have too firm a grasp on English anymore). Gr.

#470

White Iris

6x6 acrylic on panel - nfs

Just loosened up and had some fun with this one. I should do more of these simple florals, they just feel good, you know?

#469

Winniedog, In Progress

Little bit scary, seeing the in progress stuff, isnt it? Goes through a definate awkward phase... though I know this one will come out just fine- beautiful little dog.

#468

Horses Sketch II

9x12 mixed media in sketchbook

More horsies, playing with this odd sort of acidy green in the background.... very springtime, but perhaps a little too much?

#467

Horses Sketch I

9x12 mixed media in sketchbook

And its springtime, and one of my facebook friends just had the most beautiful little colt, and posted lots of pictures.... must say Im jealous :)

#466

Doctors Office

8.5x11 ballpoint on a stray sheet of paper

Booooorrrrrriiiinnnnggggg situation........

#465

Pelican

5x7 mixed media on panel
nfs

Good afternoon, good evening, good night- and happy thoughts of summertime...

#464

DegasStudy IX

6x6 mixed media on panel

collection of Philip Barbier

Carrying on with last nights theme, and its growing on me even more. Its a good thing to take a break every now and then, right? And if by taking a break youre both recharging creative batteries and learning by imitating, then its doubly good, right? Hope so :)

#463

Degas Study IIX

5x7 mixed media on panel

collection of Philip Barbier

I couldnt think of ANYthing of my own to paint tonight- blaming it on the pollen or baby brain or something, just nothing felt right. Except this :D Gotta love Degas! And, just in case stupid punniesmake you smile-

#462

Step on Degas

to make the Van Gogh

Foggy Path

6x6 inkwash on panel

nfs

Having some fun with something just a little bit different- a soft morning, a little bit of mystery.

#461

Pansy IV

8x8 acrylic on stretched canvas
contact me at kelliemarianhill@yhoo.com for purchase information

#460

Pansy III

8x8 acrylic on stretched canvas
contact me at kelliemarianhill@yahoo.com for purchase information

#459

Mary Janes

6x6 mixed media on panel

collection of Judge M. Faith Angell

Babys stuffs and happy thoughts :D

#458

Early Summer

6x6 acrylic on panel

click here to bid

Or you will be able to click here to bid at some point in the near future.... I assume. Ebay is being most uncooperative with the image uploady thing right now :( But Im playing fetch with Dixon, so at least I have something to do while trying to get it through.... So, what do you think? From a picture from last summer, but I just had to revisit it :D

#457

Nocturne

6x8 acrylic on canvas board

nfs

Not sure.... this is weird to try to do, actually. Froma photograph, too, it was this weird just after dawn effect that Ive never seen before.... but very interesting. And the real thing was very beautiful.

Margarita Glass and Lemons WIP

11x14 sketch on board
work in progress

I know, I know, shame on me.... I honestly didnt have time to paint anything today, but got this idea and did have a chance to sketch it out, anyways. Ill let you know how it comes along, for sure :)

#455

Honey Gold II

8x8 acrylic on cradled panel

private collection

Not entirely sure this one is done.... its not a daily, though, thats for sure, so I guess Ive got a good excuse :) Pretty, isnt it? Rehashing of a wonderful little 4x4 I did last year, and... hm, quadrupling the size raises some unexpected challenges. But good ones, you know? Lots of fun.

#454

Orchids Sketch

9x12 pen on paper

Daydreaming, trying to sketch out an idea for a new larger painting.... Dunno :D We shall see, huh?

#453

Velvetine Rabbitt

9x12 pen on paper

Something thats been on my mind today, for no readily apparent reason.... Not even sure I spelled that right, actually. Been forever since Ive read the story, but I guess I will have to get back into the routine of childrens books soon enough :D

#452

Yellowbells

6x6 acrylic on board

Something soft and very springtime, here.... love it :D I think it might be that most of the painting is super-muted thats drawing me in, making the goldenrod stronger.

#451

Afternoon Tea

6x6 acrylic on board

collection of Janine ODonnell

Just one question this evening- why is that every time I try to spell -tea- I end up typing -tes-? I know the keys are right next to one another and all, but still, odd. And now, off to bed- winter reclaimed North Carolina today, a stupid long cloudy cold drizzly Wednesday, which I suppose explains todays painting. Oh, well, should be beautiful again by Sunday :D

#450

Apple Blossoms

6x6 mixed media on panel

nfs

Having lots of fun, more with encaustics and acrylics and oils all smooshed together.... Happy. So, what do you think?

#449

Cyanotype IV

6x6 mixed media on panel

nfs

Not really sure.... LOVE the whole cyanotyping thing, but not sure how to finish them out, you know? Have to think on that....

Cyanotype III

mixed media on panel

nfs
#447

Cyanotype II

mixed media on panel

nfs
#446

Cyanotype I

6x6 mixed media on panel

nfs

#445

Apricots IV

5x7 acrylic on hardboard panel

Loving the contrasts on this one, the bright sunlit fruit against all that dark brown and the worn shelf.... happy.

#444

Lemon and Tea

5x7 acrylic on hardboard panel

collection of Breedlove Publications

I realized today that it had been officially for-ev-er since I had painted anything to do with tea.... and thats entirely too long :) I love how the backlighting came through on the lemon, even though it doesnt photograph well.... but the lemon yellow vs. blue grey color thing is really working for me and it showed up just fine, so Im happy. Hugs to everyone!

#443

Conch II

5x7 mixed media on hardboard panel

click here to bid

Still tinkering with the mixed media thing.... I do love the feeling you can get with graphite, and then it gets so interesting when you throw paints and wet brushes into the mix, dont you think? Happy.

#442

Blue Basil

5x7 acrylic on hardboard panel

nfs

Contrast-y-ness, going back to pictures from long ago and far away.... I do so miss having an herb garden. Even if I was irresponsible enough to let my basil go to flower sometimes.... it was just so pretty, you know? And I couldnt relly taste a flavor difference with just the flowering going on. Rosemary, missing rosemary right now too, and the beautiful St Johns Wort flowers, and mint running all over everything and the pebbly texture on the sage leaves. Everything.

#441

Daffodils VI

6x6 acrylic on hardboard panel

nfs

More springtime. Pushing how I use acrylic, I guess....

And as an aside, I have the weirdest cat ever, I swear. I woke up in the night and heard this sound, this sort of nom-nom-nom sound, coming from the side of the bed. I turn that way, and there is Dixon, on the nightstand and up to his little elbows in my hair, chewing happily away. I swatted him, of course- hey, thats mine- but sometimes you just have to shake your head and laugh.

#440

Queen Annes Lace

5x7 mixed media on hardboard panel

nfs

Keeping going with the stuff from yesterday, believing that if its going anywhere that this is the best way to find out :) Love this peacock blue watercolor too, like some kind of late summer dream, all glowy.... and graphite in this context almost has this orange hue to it, its a wonderful contrast.

#439

Blue Sunflower

6x6 mixed media on hardboard panel

nfs

Having some fun, experimenting. Painting with q-tips dipped in water on gessoboard covered with watercolor, and then some alcohol spray and graphite.... lots of fun, and some interesting effects, though Im not quite sure where to go from here....

#438

Lemon and Water

4x4 acrylic on hardboard panel

private collection

Pretty sunlight, pretty lemon, pretty purple and yellow being all contrast-y.... having fun :) And I am thrilled with how the lemon slice itself came out, finally feel like I got all the colors in it to work together. Yay!

#437

Wyeth Study VII

9x12 mixed media on paper

And continuing in the same vein. Wondering what Andrew Wyeths work would have lookedlike if he had lived down here instead of being such the Pennsylvania/Maine type. So Yankee, you know, with all the snow and winter pastures and lobster boats. What if it had been lowland marshes and rocky red clay, magnolias and loblolly pines and fields of tobacco or cotton? And the barns down here dont look a thing like the ones up north, and you pretty much have to drag green into landscapes, I mean its summertime almost the whole year, seems like..... like today- perfectly, wonderfully gorgeous, 84 degrees outside, everything in bloom and starting to leaf. Just something I wonder about, I guess....

#436